Members and the Media
AEU Members & the Media
The Union works with the media in order to:
- advocate for union goals
- promote union work
- Keep the public informed of our activities
The values of honesty, transparency, clarity and balance underpin all AEU media interactions.
In order to ensure that these purposes can be fulfilled, the Union rules stipulate that the chief public spokespeo-ple for the Union are at all times the President and Secretary.
Local and national media are vital partners in achieving the goals of the Union. In order to maximise the advantages of media presentation and minimise the risks of media misrepresentation it is necessary to follow some common sense guidelines for how any interactions be-tween members and the media occur.
While the Union welcomes the opportunity to talk to the media and, through them, to debate issues in the public arena, we must be careful to not put members and elect-ed reps at risk.
We encourage you to be mindful of the policies of your employer. For example, the NTG ‘Code of Conduct’ (see Code of conduct (nt.gov.au) has a section in relation to ‘public comments’ made by public servants.
Although you are protected by your AEU membership pro-vided it is clear that you speak in that capacity and NOT as an employee, if you, as a member or rep are approached by the media be conscious that you may be seen as repre-sentative of the Union and its position on any given issue and ensure the following:
- Read your employer Code of Conduct
- Be sure to contact the office for guidance before engaging with any media (print, radio, online, main-stream or other)
- Avoid making comments or participating in photo opportunities that may damage the reputation of Union.
The media themselves have a vital role to play on behalf of the community in holding the Union to account for its poli-cies and actions. It is important that the President and Sec-retary provide them with access to appropriate background information to assist them in this role.
Download:
Members and the Media.pdf
